THE BUFFALO-RUNNERS 75 



greatest of these were on the Upper Missouri. This 

 was the Mandan country, where hunters of the Macki 

 naw from Michilimackinac, of the Missouri from St. 

 Louis, of the Nor Westers from Montreal, of the Hud 

 son Bay from Fort Douglas (Winnipeg), used to con 

 gregate before the War of 1812, which barred out Cana 

 dian traders. 



At a later date the famous, loud-screeching Ecd 

 River ox-carts were used to transport supplies to the 

 scene of the hunt; but at the opening of the last cen 

 tury all hunters, whites, Indians, and squaws, rode to 

 field on cayuse ponies or broncos, with no more sup 

 plies than could be stowed away in a saddle-pack, and 

 no other escort than the old-fashioned muskets over 

 each white man s shoulder or attached to his holster. 



The Indians were armed with bow and arrow only. 

 The course usually led north and westward, for the 

 reason that at this season the herds were on their great 

 migrations north, and the course of the rivers headed 

 them westward. From the first day out the hunter 

 best fitted for the captainship was recognised as leader, 

 and such discipline maintained as prevented unruly 

 spirits stampeding the buffalo before the cavalcade had 

 closed near enough for the wild rush. 



At night the hunters slept under open sky with 

 horses picketed to saddles, saddles as pillows, and mus 

 ket in hand. When the course led through the country 

 of hostiles, sentinels kept guard ; but midnight usually 

 saw all hunters in the deep sleep of outdoor life, bare 

 faces upturned to the stars, a little tenuous stream of 

 uprising smoke where the camp-fire still glowed red, 

 and on the far, shadowy horizon, with the moonlit sky 

 line meeting the billowing prairie in perfect circle, 



